Cancer is generally defined as an abnormal and unrestrained new growth in cells and tissues that produces adverse effects in man and which is often fatal. Thus, when for no understandable reason, cells and tissues grow more rapidly than normal and develop abnormal shapes and sizes and cease functioning in a normal manner, they are said to be malignant or cancerous.
Cancers can be divided into three broad groups: carcinomas, sarcomas, and leukemias or lymphomas. Carcinomas arise in the epithelia, the sheets of cells covering the surface of the body and the lining of various glands. Sarcomas generally arise in the supporting tissues, such as fibrous tissues and blood vessels; and leukemias or lymphomas arise in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow and the lymph nodes. Carcinomas are the most prevalent, while sarcomas and leukemias are less so. These cancers can be further classified by the organs in which they originate or by the types of cell involved. Considered in this way, there are 100 or so distinct varieties of the disease. Roughly half of all cancer deaths are caused by cancer of three organs: the lung, the large intestine, and the breast.
Cancer in general has recognizable symptoms. Cancer can be debilitating and may be accompanied by loss of appetite, loss of weight, loss of strength, changes in disposition, and changes in skin tone. The symptoms are typical of cancerous cachexia.
Cachexia is defined as general physical wasting and malnutrition caused by chronic diseases, such as cancer or other debilitating diseases.
While it is appreciated that the field of cancer therapy has been the subject of intensive research and study in recent years in which a large phase of the study has been directed to chemotherapy, very few effective substances have been found for alleviating the condition of cachexia.
A pharmaceutical composition has now been discovered which is effective for retarding and/or reducing cachexia in humans due to carcinoma, sarcoma, and leukemia.